Activists Disrupt Boston Pride, Demand More Racial, Trans Inclusivity

About a dozen people sat in the middle of the Boston Pride parade route to protest the lack of action on issues affecting trans and LGBT people of color.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

June 14 2015 8:24 PM EST

September 23 2017 8:49 AM EST

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Protesters disrupted Saturday's Pride parade in Boston to criticize what they say is silence from LGBT officials on issues affecting low-income, trans, and non-white people.

The approximately dozen activists sat down at Boylston and Charles streets for 11 minutes; a pointed reference to the 11 trans people murdered this year in the country. The group utilized the hashtag #WickedPissed on Twitter, a reference to Boston Pride's #WickedProud hashtag.

"The sit-in served to refocus attention on those most marginalized in the LGBTQ community, honor the lives of trans women of color, and raise awareness to the lack of representation and resources available to LGBTQ people of Color in Boston," the activists said in a statement. "We won't wait for the advances of the most privileged of our community to trickle down to the rest of us."

The group had specific goals for Boston Pride officials: add more trans, low-income and people of color to their board, change the parade route so it traverses less upscale neighborhoods, and end partnerships with corporations "with a record of bringing harm to communities of Color."

The activists also wanted more leaders of color installed in other Boston LGBT organizations and "an intentional effort by the larger community to acknowledge and do more to respond to racism in the city."